Pasko na Sinta ko: A Christmas Tribute to all Filipinos Spending Their Christmasses Away from Family and Home

It's always fun reminiscing about Christmas in the Philippines, especially of Christmas for children in the Philippines. There is probably no place else in the world where it's more fun to celebrate Christmas than in the Philippines. Of course, I could be biased. I'm talking about Christmas in my home after all. If you want to get at least an idea of what I'm talking about, let Mikey Bustos tell you all about it.






For us Filipinos spending Christmas away from our homes, it's a bit different of course. Especially Filipinos working in non-Christian countries. Although Christmas might be celebrated, the real spirit is just not there. To none Christians the only aspect captured is the material part, which is well, material gifts. And there is no carolling, no christmas songs repeatedly playing in the radios. No christmas trees and no blinking christmas lights in front of homes to light our ways.

To Filipinos celebrating their Christmases at home, remember your family who is not there with you. Celebrate Christmas for what it is, and not just for the material things. For those celebrating Christmas with their family complete, cherish it. Not all of us are as lucky as you are. To those who for the first time will be celebrating their Christmas after losing a family or a friend, remember your lost loved ones with all the happy memories that they have left you with.

Here is a song rendered by Gary Valenciano, Pasko na Sinta ko.





Maligayang pasko po sa ating lahat at manigong bagong taon!!!
FP34CJQ286GZ

Pinoy Jokes

WARNING: Might contain corny and green jokes. If you have aversion to corny jokes please do not read. If you have strong aversion to green jokes please do not read. If symptom persists consult a psychiatrist.

***

Filipinos have a propensity to make light of anything and everything. Even in times of great distress we always find ways to make a joke out of things. Please don't get us wrong, we do not mean to appear apathetic or insensitive. It just makes it easier for us to take and survive difficult situations.

Here is a list of pinoy quote jokes which I blatantly and unabashedly plagiarized from other pinoys on the net. I hope they don't mind.

Pinoy Quote Jokes

“oo na, maganda na ang kutis mo! Ikaw kaya dito sa pwesto ko. Tingnan ko lang kung hindi ka magkutis matanda! Hmp!” ~ bayag

“Subukan mo kaya na kalimutan na ako at wag ng puntahan. Di naman sa pagyayabang. Lalapit ka pa rin sa akin.” ~ inodoro

“Sana naisip mo lahat ng sakripisyo ko! Hindi ako panakip butas!” ~ panty

“Hindi lahat ng malakas, ‘Superhero’” ~putok

“Hindi lahat ng walang shorts ay bastos!” ~Winnie the Pooh

“Hindi lahat ng labi masarap halikan” ~Diego

“Hindi lahat ng dugo pwedeng i-donate! Okey?” ~regla

“Hindi lahat ng macho may bigote” ~ Vina Morales

“Sana brief na lang ako!” ~ Rustom Padilla

“Kung ginalingan mo ang pagsupsop habang matigas pa ako, hindi ka malalagkitan o magkakatulo! Mabagal kang kumilos! Mabagal ka! Mabagaaaal!!!!” ~ ice candy

“Pano tayo makakabuo kung hindi ako papatong sayo?!” ~ LEGO

“Hindi lahat ng maasim ay Vitamin C…” ~ Kili-kili

“Pilitin mo man na alisin ako sa buhay mo …. Babalik at babalik ako.” ~ Libag

“Tigilan mo na nga ang pangangalabit mo! Bibilugin mo na naman ako!” ~ Kulangot

“Bakit mo ba pilit akong mawala sa iyong landas? Oo, pasaway ako kung minsan at tanggap ko. Pero pagkatapos mo akong iluwal ay ganon na lang?” ~ tae sa bowl

“Hala! Sige! Magpakasasa ka! Alam ko namang katawan ko lang ang habol niyo!” ~ Hipon

“Pinapaikot mo lang ako. Nagsasawa na ako. Mabuti pang patayin mo na lang ako.” -electric fan

“Alam mo ba wala akong ibang hinangad kundi ang mapalapit sayo. Pero patuloy ang pag-iwas mo.” -ipis

“Ayoko na! Pag nagmamahal ako lagi na lang maraming tao ang nagagalit! Wala ba akong karapatang magmahal?!?” -gasolina

“Hindi lahat ng green ay masustansya.” -plema

“Hindi ko hinahangad na ipagmalaki mo na ako’y sayo. Ayoko ko lang naman na sa harap ng maraming tao ganun mo na lang ako itanggi.” -utot

“Sawang sawa na ako palagi nalang akong pinagpapasa-pasahan, pagod na pagod na ako.” -bola

“You never know what you have till you lose it. And once you lose it, you can never get it back.” -snatcher

“Hindi lahat ng pink, KIKAY!” -majinboo

“Ginawa ko naman lahat para sumaya ka. Mahirap ba talagang makontento sa isa? Bakit palipat-lipat ka?” -TV

“Hindi lahat ng maasim may Vitamin C.” -kili kili

“Sige, batihin mo ako. Sigeee. BATEEEEEE!!!!!!!!” -omelette

“Wag mo na akong bilugin.” -kulangot

“Hindi lahat ng pwet nasa likod.” - keanna reeves

“Tandaan mo na minsan kelangan tayo saktan at ibaon ng iba para malaman natin ang ating silbi, tsaka natin maiisip, mahalaga pala tayo.” - pako

“Alam kong may gusto ka sa akin. pasimple ka. Bakit di mo pa ako seryosohin? Pero bago ang lahat, gusto ko alam mo na hindi ako easy-to-get.” - 1.0 classcard

“Bakit ba kelangan pang sterilized and needle sa lethal injection?” - leo echagaray

"Pila-pila lang. Walang tulakan! Lahat tayo makakalabas.” - tae

“Hindi mo alam. Malay mo. Ewan mo. Sawang-sawa na ako! Isa lang naman ang pakiusap ko sayo eh. Sagutin mo ako ng matino.” - test paper

“Wala naman akong ginagawa sa kanya. hindi na nga ako gumagalaw dito. Ako na yung natapakan siya pa ang galit.” - tae

“Halika, bigyan mo pa ako ng init. Kailangan kong pumutok para ako’y iyong matiman at ika’y masasarapan. Ayan na! Puputok na!” - popcorn

“I admit. Marami na akong pinadapa! Pinagapang! Nahulog sa kanal! Pinag-away! Nasaktan! Pero anong magagawa ko? Eh sa kayo ang naglalaway sa akin. Im sorry.” - red horse

“Work is the greatest thing in the world. So i always save some of it for tomorrow!” - juan tamad

“You can cry all you want. You can always blame me! You said i wasn’t fair, that you just want life to be better. But remember, IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! You stabbed me with a knife!” - sibuyas

“Inaruga n’yo ako, pinakain at pinalaki! lahat ibinigay n’yo sa akin, tapos ipagpapalit n’yo lang ako sa pera?!” - hinanakit ng baboy sa buong mundo

“Hindi malutong yung french fries sa Jollibee. Hindi lutong-luto yung chickenjoy, at walang lasa ang burger! Ban Jollibee!” - ronald mcdonald

“Alam ko marami na akong tanong sayo, pero nagtatanong lang naman ako, Sana wag mo ako murahin patalikod pag di mo masagot mga tanong ko… ” -test paper

“hindi mo ako kayang lunurin!!! bwahahaha!” -palitaw

“ang yabang mo pinagtatawanan mo ako? samantalang dati gustong gusto mo ako…” -Nokia 5110

“Kung makapalo ka, parang anak mo ako ah?!” -ipis

“Sa lahat ng pupuntahan mo lagi mo akong sinasama. Pag papasok ka ng bahay, ako ang unang hinahanap mo. Pero pag tayong dalawa nalang ang magkasama sa bahay, hindi mo na ako pinapansin.”- susi ng bahay

“hindi lahat ng hinog ay matamis.” - nana

“pangalan ko’y nakakadiri ngunit patuloy mo pa rin akong hinahaplos-haplos at hinahawakan, bakit kaya?”— mouse

"hindi lahat ng nginunguya eh nilulunok" -bubble gum

"hindi lahat ng kabayo apat ang paa" - diego

“nahihilo ako waaa” -cd na nsa loob ng CPU

“kung mahal mo nga ako, yakapin mo ko” - sabi ng cactus

“Plakaplatik plik plak pak papak pakpik ptik kitikakkaktik kiktiki tikak plak plakakik plak pak papaki pipak pakpik.” -watusi

“Grabe! Biruin mo, P15,000daw hot oil lang! P150,000 ang rebonding! Sobra naman yang David’s na yan! Hmpf!” - Rapunzel

“Bawal tumawid dito. Nakamamatay.” -MMDA

"Bawal tumawid dito. May namatay na." - MMDA

“Hindi ko kailanman intensyon ang lumayo,lumipad…at mawala…Kaya wag mo sana akong bitawan.” -lobo

“hindi masarap ang ketchup!” -mang tomas

“Hindi lahat ng babaeng my long black shiny hair ay kinagigiliwan!” -sadako

“hindi lahat ng nagfafoundation at lipstick ay bading!!” -Ronald McDonald

“Ako lang ang nag padugo ng ilong ni Manny Pacquiao! Wahahahahah!” -English

” .” -pipi

And some more.....



"Hindi lahat ng malamig, refreshing" - bangkay

"Hindi lahat ng maputi cute." - white lady

"Anong sabi ng sipon sa kulangot?"
- MANIGAS KA JAN!!!

"E ano naman ang sabi ng utot sa tae?"
- Mauna na ko sayo ha

"E ang tae sa tae?"
- Tangina! Walang tulakan! Pila-pila lang!

"Bakit may sabaw ang balot?"
- Kung ikaw kaya ikulong sa shell, saan ka jijingle? Aber! Saan?!? Saan?!!?

How To Travel Cheap in the Philippines

Travelling in the Philiipines unlike other places in the world is pretty comfortable and easy. Owning a car is not a necessity because public transportation is available wherever you wish to go.

The Jeepney

The jeepney is a classic example of Filipino ingenuity. Its use started when jeeps left by the American military in the Philippines after the world war started replacing the classic calesa which used to carry Filipinos point to point. The advantage of the jeepney was that it could carry more people, faster and in longer distances. Unlike the calesa which can only carry a specific number of people not to mention the fact that the burden of carrying the weight was literally on the shoulders of sometimes malnourished donkeys or horses.

In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, almost all major roads are crisscrossed by the colorful jeepneys traversing specific routes which oftentimes crosses other major roads where you can take connecting jeepneys to the area where you need to go. Directions and length of travel in the Philippines is never mentioned by kilometers nor hours of driving, rather by the name tags of jeepney routes that need to be taken and the numbers of jeepneys it would take to get to the desired location respectively.

Taking the jeepneys in the city is fast and easy. The only thing to contend to would be the traffic during rush hours. Minimum fair is at P7.50 which increases by P1.00 for every kilometer after the minimum first four kilometers.

Taking the jeepneys in provinces is a different matter. There is no traffic to contend to but most of the time you will have to wait hours until the jeepney is filled up sometimes upto the roofs before they would start moving to your destination. Taking jeepneys in far flung provinces of the Philippine is a whole different experience. And sometimes they cost more because trips are farther in between.

Most jeepney drivers could also serve as your tour guide. Just ask them to drop you off at the place where you need to go. Most drivers will remember your request but there are those who will forget so just remind them from time to time.

The Tricycle

For some weird reason or perhaps the heat, Filipinos seem too adverse to walking. So if ever you are wondering what those colorful three-wheeled little rides are that Filipinos usually ride to take them on short rides, they are what we call tricycles.

The tricycles are motobikes which have been fitted with a body which can carry 2 to 3 sometimes even 6 passengers aside from the one behind the driver. This bodies are sometimes made of iron and most recently srainless steel. It would usually have a cushioned seat which seats two people and a small metal side seat which I used to think was only for kids but now seats huge adults as well. It could get really uncomfortable sometimes. Some of these fitted bodies would sometimes have 2 identical faces, one facing the front and the other facing the back.

The standard rate for tricycles is a nebulous area of knowledge. It is not relevant to distance rather depends on whatever ongoing rate the tricycle association for a particular area have agreed on. Some tricycle drivers would even negotiate if you need to go to a place which are a bit farther or are not in their usual route or if simply you do not wish to be squeezed in with the rest of the regular passengers.

Tricycles like jeepneys are also colorful. And if you wish to gain some snippets of knowledg about life, try reading the grafittis that the owners would usually paint or hang as decorations.

The Pedicab

The pedicabs are a whole new breed of transportation in themselves. You guessed it, they are like tricycles but they are powered by their drivers' feet. These are the Filipinos way of addressing the need for environment friendly transportation.

The pedicabs are bicycles which like the tricycle have been fitted with a body welded into it, sometimes made with cast iron and fitted with cushioned, sometimes wooden seat. The most it could seat is usually 2 people max. Most Filipinos only ride them within very short distances.

In a province in Bicol, you may find pedicabs which are powered by engines used in motorboats. They would usually have no roof, so if ever there is any sign of rain it is best to bring an umbrella, just in case.

The pedicabs are not as colorful as the tricycle nor the jeepney, but it serves its own specific purpose. They are generally cheaper than a tricycle but takes longer depending on whose driving you. Pedicab rates are also different per location but most of the time they would have a fixed rate for each determined route.

Should State and Church be Separated?

I thought church and state in the Philippines have been constitutionally separated years ago. So why then thus the Cardinal and the whole Roman Catholic have such say on how this country should be run? And why would they even threaten the incumbent present with excommunication for a bill that is much needed by this country?

Excommunication. I thought I've heard the last of that when I watched Dapitan a few years ago. And I thought the Philippines saw the last excommunication because of political issues when Rizal was excommunicated because he wanted change for the country more than a century ago.
I guess I was dead wrong.

I wholeheartedly support what Carlos Celdran did to express his views. There is just no other medium to be heard clearly and succinctly by the Catholic Church who are closed and only sticks to what they were told irregardless of whether they are being detrimental to the growth of the nation. True, it is their duty to nurture the spiritual life of each individual, but it is also their duty to protect their flock and make decisions that will be for the good of all and not just stick to the good old-fashioned beliefs just because the Cardinal said so.

The verse go and multiply yourself is only true in the Old Testametnt when population was still scarce. Today we can scarcely say that. Jesus' teaching in the New Testament is to go and preach the gospel. That gospel is love for neighbor and for God. Because if we follow both then we will do our utmost to protect our brethren who cannot protect themselves.

The church does not have any right, nor any religion for that matter to condemn anyone or excommunicate anyone. Only God has that right.

As Jesus said, let what's Caesar's be given to Caesar and God's to God.

Campaign Overkill

I just read an article from Yahoo news about bloggers being paid to campaign for politicians and do so as stealthily as possible. I'm into earning while blogging but I had no idea that even this is being exploited by publicity hungry politicians. I'm also into blogging about your favorite politician, but I hope (whoever they are), that they actually believe in what the politician they support can do for the country, otherwise this is simply another Filipino "ingenious" way of twisting what's good to something that would benefit their personal agendas.

Drowning in political ads

I too am fed up with the slew of seemingly endless political campaigning in the media. I don't watch TV anymore because aside from it being a "watching commercial ads" experience as opposed to actually watching a show, it has also become an endless parade of political faces that frankly, I don't really wish to see. And I particularly hate it that my blog is being invaded by these ad campaigns most especially since the politician is someone who is way below my list of favorites.

I used to like Villar. I used to admire the idea of the kind of persona that he projected. Someone who was able to climb out of poverty and reach billionaire status without having to go abroad in order to do it. I believed that if he was able to do this, then he must have some idea how to do the same thing for the Philippine economy.

However, if his platform is good and well thought of, and he has a clear sight of his purpose when he becomes president then I see no need to bombard the public with his face and his color everyday. There is such a thing as overkill. Instead of endearing himself to the public, he'd end up alienating those who resent the invasion of their privacy. It's one thing to campaign, but it's another thing when the information is being shoved into peoples' faces. That could end up with people puking from campaign saturation.

As early as February of this year, I have felt this much disgusto for candidates who were so desperate for publicity that they would invade even the Chinese New Year celebration. I was in Chinatown during this time and among the dragon dancers and firecrackers were banners and posters and a parade of supporters of politicians running for president. Did they sponsor the dragon dancers too? I think it was highly inappropriate and disrespectful of a people's culture.